A/N- thank you for not hating me too much for my incredibly long hiatus. I tried to make this a timely update just for you guys.

Just a reminder- Bella's 21, Emmett's 23, Jasper and Rosalie are 22, Edward is 23, and Alice is 22.

Disclaimer- IDOI (I don't own it).

Chapter 7

BPOV

I had never known before how nice it was to just walk down the street holding hands with the one you loved and talking with some new people that you were sure you could be great friends with. On the right of the boardwalk we were meandering across was the ocean and a spectacular sunset, streaking the sky with fiery reds and oranges and, higher up, dark purples fading into the indigo of twilight and inky black. Above us hung the moon, full and round, glowing yellowy orange in the dusk.

"Ooh!" Alice squealed, raising her arm from around Jasper's neck to point at the darkness of the sky. She was perched piggyback style on Jasper's back. She was so tiny I doubted he could even feel her there. "The first star! I get to make a wish!" She immediately clasped her hands in front of his throat and closed her eyes.

"What did you wish for?" Edward asked a minute later when her eyes opened again and she unknotted her hands.

"I can't tell you that!" she admonished, resting her chin on Jasper's shoulder. "Then it wouldn't come true!"

"I doubt that will be a problem for you." Edward mumbled and turned to me. "She's always had this clairvoyant sort of thing going and I don't think she's ever had a wish that won't come true. She seems to know from the start if it will."

"Yeah pretty much." Alice chirped happily. "I can make some predictions for you if you want. How about you Rose?"

"Hit me." She responded with a raised eyebrow and a rather dubious expression.

"Hmmm…" Alice closed her eyes and pursed her lips a moment before opening again and smiling. "Good news. You will be married at 24 and your first child will be a girl. Congratulations!" Rosalie looked a little shocked.

"Two years from now…" she murmured, before shaking her head. "Well I'll believe it when I see it, but I bet it'll take a guy more than two years to totally win my heart." She grinned teasingly at Emmett and he grinned back.

"I'll see what I can do." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, still smiling.

I had to smile myself watching them. I'd honestly never seen my big brother moon over a girl like this and I at least knew Rosalie would keep him in line.

It had been a long amazing day, but my body and mind were apparently bored with the lack of events taking place. They seemed to think that I hadn't exhibited my clumsiness enough lately and decided to take care of that.

One moment I was walking hand-in-hand with Edward, the next I was tumbling forward, dragging Edward down with me. I landed facedown on the wet wood of the boardwalk with Edward sprawled out next to me.

"I am so sorry!" I exclaimed as I pushed my upper-half up with my arms. "Are you all right?"

"I'm just fine." Assured me, chuckling slightly. "Are you?" Jasper and Emmett both extended hands to help pull me up which I grabbed onto.

"Yeah, I just—Ouch!" I cried as I stepped onto my feet. It seemed I'd twisted my right ankle a little when I'd fallen. I gingerly switched my weight to my left.

"What?" Emmett and Edward asked together, seeming a little panicked by my pained cry. Emmett crouched down on his knee as Edward grabbed my arm to help steady me.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked, gently probing my foot and ankle.

"My- Ouch! Stop that!- right ankle. I twisted it, but I'm fine, really." I informed him. Without a moment's hesitation he grabbed me around the waist and threw me over his shoulder and started walking again, whistling lightly. Alice, Edward, Jasper, and Rosalie, all walking behind Emmett now, made it apparent they were muffling laughter.

"Emmett!" I screeched, pounding his back with my fists and kicking my legs. "Put me down! I can walk just fine!"

"Nope." Emmett responded cheerily, popping his lips on the last syllable. This seemed to break the dam for everyone else and they dissolved into hysterical laughter.

"Bella you should see your face right now! Bright red and totally indignant!" Rosalie chortled.

"I know, I know!" Alice giggled, clutching Rosalie's arm. "And that pout is adorable!"

"Sorry Bella, but they're right. You look so cute right now." Edward chuckled.

"You all suck." I muttered, crossing my arms and resigning myself to being carried the rest of the way to the ship. Resistance was futile.

"What about me?" Emmett asked, calling over his free shoulder. "How cute am I?"

"Adorable," Rosalie laughed, rolling her eyes.

"I know, right?" Emmett teased, swaying his hips. Everyone fell into their laughter once again and couldn't stop the rest of the way to the ship where Emmett finally set me down on my feet.

"I am so not talking to you," I stormed as I boarded the ship once more.

"Aw, but you know you can't resist my charm!"

"Well at least buy me a burger or something to make-up for it." I grumbled. My suggestion was more popular than expected and we all ended up at the smaller less formal restaurant on the ship. Alice and Rosalie, in the end, had commiserated with the whole annoying big brother thing, even though Rose and Jasper were twins and there was only a year in between Alice and Edward. We'd all began swapping sibling stories from our childhoods.

"I still can't believe I got you to believe that chocolate was made from bark and pine tree needles!" Rosalie laughed, "You were so gullible!"

"Not gullible, trusting. There's a huge difference." Jasper said defensively, grinning nonetheless.

"I totally get that," I commiserated, matching his smile, "I believed anything Emmett told me. One time he told me he was friends with the monster in my closet and could make him go away if I gave him the money the tooth fairy had just given me. I believed every word and he got every penny I had just gotten."

"Emmett! That's horrible!" Alice gasped.

"Hey, you can't blame me! I was six and a new comic book had just come out that I was dying to buy. 'Course, mom found out about it after Bella went to mom all pleased about how she was positive the monster wouldn't bother her anymore. Mom got suspicious and got her to squeal on me. I lost my allowance for a month." Emmett sighed at having been caught.

"I don't remember doing anything like that to you, but I do remember you burying all my Hot Wheels cars in the sandbox for accidentally stepping on your favorite Barbie." Edward recounted through his laughter.

"I can see you being a Barbie girl," Rosalie said thoughtfully to Alice, "I was a baby doll girl myself. I've wanted kids for as long as I can remember."

"You know, I don't really remember you playing with dolls that much, but you had this stuffed penguin that you took everywhere until you were, like, five." Emmett told me. I nodded.

"Uh-huh. I remember him. 'Course I have nothing on you and Barry." I smirked evilly. He had to have known he wouldn't have gotten away with carrying me home without my revenge.

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about." Emmett squirmed slightly, begging me with his eyes to stop. I wasn't feeling that forgiving though.

"Of course you do! You have to remember Barry." I turned to the rest of the table were everyone was waiting expectantly. "Barry was his stuffed walrus. He was his best friend until he was eleven or twelve. He even slept with him until seventh grade or so."

"That was just evil Bells," he groaned amidst the gales of laughter at his expense. I just stuck my tongue out at him.

Just then the hairs on the back of my neck stood up with goose bumps as Edward's arm threaded itself around my waist. He glanced over at me, seeming to ask my permission and, predictably turning red, I nodded subtly. He gave the crooked smile that I loved so much in response and I could feel my cheeks turn brighter. Thankfully, everyone was still laughing too hard at poor Emmett to notice.

"Yeah, well, Bella sleep talks." Emmett grumbled.

"Emmett!" I squeaked. "You're not supposed to tell people about that!" Everyone laughed at the burning color on my cheeks before slowly quieting down again and pairing off once again and talking softly.

"So you sleep talk?" Edward asked, playing with a lock of my hair with his free hand.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Ever since I was little. It was really embarrassing at sleepovers."

"That is really cute." He breathed before kissing me sweetly.

"Thanks." I murmured breathlessly. It was amazing; all he did was give me a small compliment and a small kiss and it took my breath away. I couldn't even think of a coherent thing to say at the moment.

Finally I broke from the loving trance the two of us had established to check my watch.

"Oh my gosh!" How did it get this late so fast? It didn't seem possible! "It's a little past midnight!"

"You're kidding!" Rosalie glanced at her own watch before standing and stretching. "I'd better hit the sack."

"Same here." Alice intoned, mimicking her actions. Everyone got up, and moved to the door before splitting up for our separate sides of the ship, calling good-byes over our shoulders.

Emmett and I walked in silence fro a while before exiting out of the indoor half of the ship we were on and out into the pool area. Up above the night seemed to have hit its stride it was pitch black except for the glow of the full moon. Out here in the Caribbean it looked close enough to just pluck out of the sky and pinpricks of light littered the sky in random patterns.

"So you and Edward, huh?" Emmett finally said. It looked as if he couldn't hold it back anymore.

"Mm-hmm." I nodded in confirmation and trailed my hand along the rail on the edge of the deck.

"I don't like it." He told me.

"You don't have to." I grumbled, trying to quell the bit of annoyance that had popped up at his protectiveness.

"He's so…" I could tell Emmett was really straining to find something wrong with him.

"Pure? Handsome? Smart? Sweet?" I asked, trying to be helpful.

"Ah… no…" He was still thinking hard.

"Emmett, I think you'll be hard put to find something wrong with him." I sighed as I pushed open the door to our wing of the ship.

"I still don't like it."

"Like I said, you don't have to, but I'd really like it if you gave him a chance."

"But Bella, he's too old for you!" he sounded pleased with having come up with a reason.

"Emmett, I'm 21 and he's 23. There is nothing wrong with that." I swiped my key card in my door as he did the same with his. "I'm going to sleep, but you can stay up and try to come up with more reasons why we're not right for each other, alright?" I teased as I entered my room.

"You know I'm just trying to look out for you." He pointed out.

"I know." I called good night to him and shut my door. Immediately I went to the shower and turned it on, letting it warm up while I pulled the dress and swimsuit off. The hot water felt amazing on my cool skin and I leaned my forehead against the tiled wall, feeling sleepy already, as I scrubbed the salt water off my skin and out of my hair.

It was hard to believe all that had happened in one day. Edward had told me he loved me and kissed me! Just thinking about it made my heart race and my cheeks to heat up. Had that really happened? It seemed so surreal; so impossible.

I finished my shower and, after changing into a tank top and pajama shorts, burrowed into the covers on my bed where I immediately found the serenity of unconsciousness.

The next day was hectic for me. I started my day off normally enough waiting and bussing tables for Esme, all the while keeping an eye out for Edward or anyone else. At long last my watchfulness was rewarded as Edward Alice and Jasper came in and sat down, talking and laughing. Immediately I came by for their orders.

"Where's Rose?" I asked as I jotted down the orders. Jasper snorted.

"Where do you think?" Jasper chuckled lightly. "Out by the pool, flirting with Emmett and trying to make all the other girls jealous." The image made me laugh too.

"I bet Emmett's just eating that up." I craned my neck a bit to see if I could spot the two of them through the doors leading to the pool area but couldn't see a thing. "Anyway, I better go. Have fun!" I started scurrying off to the other impatient diners before Edward grabbed my wrist, pulling my ear next to his lips.

"You look amazing today." He whispered, his breathe caressing my skin and sending shivers racing from my neck to my waist and blood rushing to my face.

"Thank you," I replied quietly with a shy smile. He smiled back and chastely kissed me before I hurried off once again.

I relayed the orders to Esme at top speed and started to jet out again before Esme rested her hand on my shoulder, effectively stopping me.

"That guy, the one you just talked to, is he the one you crashed into the other day?" she asked, glancing over my shoulder to where Edward an the others sat. I nodded, my face boiling once again. "Are you getting to know him?" she smiled a little mischievously, a look I'd never seen on Esme's face.

"Ah, something like that. We went on a kind of… unofficial date yesterday." I admitted a little sheepishly.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Esme exclaimed giving my shoulder a light squeeze. "Is he a good man?"

"Very." I smiled as the blush crept farther towards my hairline.

"Well, I'm glad you've finally taken an interest in a man. Carlisle and I were stating to wonder if you preferred the fairer sex." My eyes widened at the implication upon my sexual preference.

"Esme!" I hissed, mortification and surprise coloring my face even further. She chuckled and patted my shoulder.

"No need to be embarrassed Bella. Might I just say though, he is very good looking." She smiled at my bewildered expression and returned to her kitchen duties, leaving me to stare confusedly after her.

A moment later, after shaking myself out of my small stupor, I carried on with my waitress duties before going off to Carlisle for an assignment.

"Good morning Bella." Carlisle greeted me as I entered his office.

"Morning," I replied, feeling cheerful after my quick encounter with Edward, despite the fact it was still early in the day.

"You're in a good mood." He commented with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Is that such a strange thing?" I asked, resting my hand on my hip and mimicking his expression.

"For ten in the morning it is." He chuckled as he pulled out some sheets of paper from a pile and leafed through them. "Let's see… how about helping out in the Kid's Corner today? You know you have a rehearsal for your performance tonight so make sure to be there for that."

"Sure," I readily agreed; working in the daycare center was one of my very favorite jobs on the ship.

I left soon after and within minutes was at the Kid Corner, a bright cheerful room adorned with smiling primary colors. It was towards the heart of the ship, namely the pool and eating areas so parents were close by most of the time. Kids from about one to seven years old were bouncing about and shouting happily as they played.

I quickly signed in and joined the other caregivers running around trying to keep the kids happy and safe. I joined a group of little girls playing house. They had carried over a little boy, about eighteen months old, to be the baby in their game.

The girls greeted me enthusiastically and cast me in this made up life as the mother since I was the oldest. I was more than happy to play along, letting them direct what would happen and scripting the plot. The little boy, I learned his name was Andrew, was perfectly happy just resting on my hip and occasionally babbling little nonsense words.

As the girls played around me, I threaded my fingers through Andrews' soft ginger hair. He turned his great brown eyes on my face and held them there unwaveringly.

House had always been my favorite game when I was these girl's ages. The idea of getting married and being in love and being a mom, being like my own mom, had been my ideal life choice. As I got older my ideal life had altered, I wanted to be a lawyer, a teacher, a police officer, a singer, but the idea of being a wife and a mom had never left me. I still wanted it with all my heart.

For a moment I lost myself in my perfect world. I would live in Seattle with Emmett and we'd have normal jobs. Maybe I'd work in a day care or go professional with my singing and Emmett would work at a gym. Maybe he'd even own one.

I'd meet Edward somewhere normal, maybe the coffee shop, rather than falling on him, and we'd fall in love. We'd get married and maybe we'd have a little boy just like Andrew, with his beautiful hair and straight nose and green eyes and strong jaw with no interference from my looks. Although, Andrew's eyes were much like mine, a deep brown, and it didn't detract from his cuteness a bit. Any child of Edward's would have to be adorable.

I was pulled out of my fantasy as a little girl tugged on my shorts and whispered to me that she needed the bathroom. I nodded and smiled at the sweet little girl and she grabbed my hand as I led her down the busy corridor to the restrooms. One of the only drawbacks of the Kids Corner was that it was such a new feature to the ship that they hadn't built in a bathroom to the room yet.

The little girl, Alyssa, finished up quickly and we began making our way back to the room when I heard a voice from behind me that made me jump.

"Every time I see you you're some different job." Edward chuckled.

"Geez!" I exclaimed, still reeling from the surprise, "Don't sneak up on people like that!

"Sorry," he apologized through more chuckles before noticing Alyssa, who was hiding behind my legs, and Andrew, who was still comfortably on my hip. "And who are these cuties?" he asked, smiling down at Alyssa. She giggled and clutched my leg tighter.

"This is Andrew and the one behind me is Alyssa," I had to smile as he crouched down to Alyssa's height and started talking with her. Only a minute later he had her up in his arms and was still strolling alongside Andrew and me.

"So you like kids?" I asked, hoping it wasn't just a show.

"Of course," he replied, still grinning widely as he tickled Alyssa's side. "I love kids."

As soon as we reached Kids Corner Edward set Alyssa down. She ran ahead inside before pausing to turn around and call goodbye to Edward. He chuckled one more time before turning back to me.

"You know," he said leaning back and crossing his arms across his chest, looking me up and down, "You look really good holding a baby," my cheeks warmed up as my mind flashed back to the fantasy I'd had only minutes ago.

"Thank you," I murmured, leaning forward, feeling brave, and pressed my lips to his. Edward reacted immediately I was lost in a sweet kiss for a moment before Andrew, resting lightly between us, smacked both of our arms with a loud exclamation. We both pulled away laughing. "I should get back in there." I admitted with a bit of sadness.

"That's alright," he said with a crooked smile that made me weak, "I'll see you at your show tonight, right?" I nodded and he smiled at Andrew and me one last time before turning and disappearing down the hallway.

I felt like a teenage girl with a crush as I leaned momentarily against the doorjamb and fanned myself with my free hand.

"What do you think?" I asked Andrew as he turned his large eyes on me. "Is he a keeper?" I tickled Andrew's side eliciting an adorable smile and baby giggle. I sighed, not able to keep the smile off my face. I was for sure at least going to see Edward again tonight. Maybe I should put a little more thought into what I would wear…

A/N- Challenge! Give me the best 'THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID' line and I might work it into the next chapter!

I know this took a while but that's probably how it's going to be from now on, every other week perhaps. Sorry if that annoys you or something but that's just how it has to be. At least I made it long!

--Cullens4everandever